Modular weather sensing system and method

ABSTRACT

An assembly and method for using weather sensors with enhanced modular capability is disclosed. The weather sensor assembly generally comprises a cap module, middle module, and a base module, where the cap module, middle module(s) and the base module are stacked adjacently to provide environmental sealing, weather sensing, and electrical connectivity to the weather sensor assembly. One or more ring mechanisms may be included that interlock the cap module, middle module(s), base module to form the weather sensor assembly into an integrated unit. Moreover, the ring mechanisms enable further modules to be added to the weather sensor assembly for additional capabilities. By doing so, each of the modules in the weather sensor assembly may be independent units that can be removed, reordered, swapped, and added for desired sensing modalities and environments.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a divisional of and claims priority to U.S.patent application Ser. No. 16/598,949, filed Oct. 10, 2019 and titled“MODULAR WEATHER SENSING SYSTEM AND METHOD,” which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSOREDRESEARCH

This invention was at least partially made with Government support undercontracts N68335-19-C-0206 and FA8652-19-P-W103 awarded by the Naval AirWarfare Center and Air Force, respectfully. The Government may havecertain rights in the invention(s) described herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosed technology relates generally to the area of modularweather sensor systems. More specifically, some embodiments of thedisclosed technology relate to a fully modularized weather sensor systemthat forms stacks of interchangeable modules when interconnected.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Weather sensor systems have been used for measurement and prediction ofthe weather since at least the middle of the 17th century with thecreation of the mechanical barometer. Since then, development and use ofmodern weather sensors, which are generally electronic in nature, haveproliferated into a significant industry with multi-billion dollarannual revenues, worldwide adoption, and diverse applications. Whilenumerous companies have been successful at commercializing thesesensors, none have successfully achieved an all-in-one sensor that canmeasure a whole suite of weather parameters in a single, compact packageand which is also reconfigurable to meet specific sensing demands.

Among commercial and non-commercial offerings within the current art,weather sensors are offered as either fixed combinations of sensors, oras modular sensor elements that must be connected by cables and arrangedon a tripod, structure, or stand. For example, if an applicationrequires measurement of temperature, pressure, and humidity there areseveral offerings that measure these three parameters in a single unit;however, if cloud height and atmospheric visibility are also desired,two other units must be mounted separately from the temperature,pressure, and humidity sensor, and then cabled into a common datacollector. This latter approach of mounting disparate elements onto atripod, scaffold, or frame and cabling them together is analogous tohanging ornaments on a tree in a somewhat bulky and clumsy fashion asrepresentative of the current state of the art.

Except for applications that measure certain specific sets of weatherparameters that are measured together and are available as single units,creation of weather sensors systems using the current art treat eachsingle sensor or combined sensors as a discrete unit that must bemounted separately and cabled separately. While co-locating separateelements on a tower, scaffold, or other manner of frame, and connectedthem through cables to a central data collector is flexible, theresulting systems are bulky and require significant assembly to erect.And while some manufacturers have begun to combine a few sensorstogether into multi-sensor units with preselected combinations ofsensors, these systems lack flexibility to permit changes to thecombination of sensors and are limited to sensors that lend themselvesto tight co-location. What is still lacking in the centuries ofdevelopment of weather sensing technologies is any system that combinesboth true modularity and tight integration in the same technology. Nosystem is currently available with sufficient modularity to enable areconfigurable, all-in-one weather system formed from fully-packagedmodules that is suitable for measuring any combination of weather inputswhile also supporting both tight integration into a single effectiveunit as well as physical separation when specifically demanded by theapplication.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the disclosed technology may utilize a framework ofrotate-to-lock modular sensor elements that can be combined on the samestack to form a single unit or can be separated by cable if physicalseparation is desired. This approach may be implemented in variousembodiments to achieve the best of three worlds, supporting (1) completefully-packaged modules, (2) compact integration of modules into a singleunit when desired, and (3) physical separation of modules when desired.

In less strenuous applications (e.g., civilian applications), thepresently disclosed technology, in some embodiments, may also becost-effective by enabling tailoring of various weather sensorconfigurations to precisely meet civilian customer needs withoutrequiring purchase of unneeded capabilities and without complex mountingframes. In more strenuous applications (e.g., military or advancedcommercial applications), the presently disclosed technology, in someembodiments, may be extremely compact and easy to deploy by enabling asingle unit to be preconfigured in advance of a mission, and enabled onsite with single-switch activation and essentially no in-field assembly.In scientific applications, the presently disclosed technology, in someembodiments, can be extremely flexible, by providing a framework fornew, application specific sensors to be created and fielded as needed.Specifically, an interlocking framework described herein can not only beused to implement the sensors described herein but also new scientificsensor capabilities not yet conceived. All of these specific benefitscan be further generalized across all fields that can benefit frommodularity, compactness, ease of setup, and versatility.

Various embodiments of the presently disclosed technology include anapparatus comprising: a weather sensor assembly comprising a cap module,a middle module of a plurality of middle modules, and a base module,wherein the cap module, the middle module of the plurality of middlemodules, and the base module are stacked adjacent one another todetachably seal and provide power to the weather sensor assembly; one ormore ring mechanisms located between the cap module and the base module,wherein the one or more ring mechanisms releasably couple the capmodule, the middle module of the plurality of middle modules, and thebase module to form the weather sensor assembly into an integrated unit;and each module of the plurality of middle modules comprises anindependent unit configured to be removed, swapped, reordered, or addedto the weather sensor assembly corresponding to a desired configuration;and the cap module and each module of the plurality of middle modulescomprise a sensor configured to detect weather parameters.

Another example embodiment describes a weather sensor assemblycomprising: a base module comprising a processor and comprising a topring element configured to couple one or more sensor modules; and one ormore sensor modules comprising a bottom ring element configured toreleasably couple to the top ring element of the base module, eachsensor module configured to receive power from the base module and toprovide data to the base module.

Further embodiments are directed to a weather sensor comprising: aceilometer module comprising two optical windows embedded in a recessedand sloped surface; a first optical window of the two optical windowsconfigured to transmit a laser; a second optical window of the twooptical windows configured to receive a reflection of the laser; avertical wall circumscribes the recessed and sloped surface and the twooptical windows; wherein the recessed and sloped surface within thevertical wall collects precipitation; and the ceilometer module measurescloud height and precipitation volume concurrently based on thecollected precipitation and the collected laser refection.

Other features and aspects of the disclosed technology will becomeapparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, thefeatures in accordance with embodiments of the disclosed technology. Thesummary is not intended to limit the scope of any inventions describedherein, which are defined solely by the claims attached hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The technology disclosed herein, in accordance with one or more variousembodiments, is described in detail with reference to the followingfigures. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only andmerely depict typical or example embodiments of the disclosedtechnology. These drawings are provided to facilitate the reader'sunderstanding of the disclosed technology and shall not be consideredlimiting of the breadth, scope, or applicability thereof. It should benoted that for clarity and ease of illustration these drawings are notnecessarily made to scale.

Some of the figures included herein illustrate various embodiments ofthe disclosed technology from different viewing angles. Although theaccompanying descriptive text may refer to such views as “top,” “bottom”or “side” views, such references are merely descriptive and do not implyor require that the disclosed technology be implemented or used in aparticular spatial orientation unless explicitly stated otherwise.

FIG. 1 illustrates a sample configuration of a weather sensing system asdeployed with modules present for main processing, temperature,pressure, and humidity measurement, satellite communication, windmeasurement, cloud height measurement, and precipitation measurement, inaccordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 2 illustrates a view of a sample configuration of modules from acoupled perspective and from an uncoupled perspective, in accordancewith various embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example interlocking ring system that enables themodularity of the overall system, connection of the shared power/databus by quadruple-redundant spring pins, and mechanical interconnectionusing a twist-to-lock motion, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 4 illustrates an internal structure and components of an exampleinterlocking ring system as two exploded views, in accordance withvarious embodiments.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example way the rings can interlock using acombination of axial compressive force and rotation, in accordance withvarious embodiments.

FIG. 6 illustrates three example categories of modules: base-modules,mid-modules, and cap-modules. These sets of modules can comprise thetop-level system components and the governing rules for their use, inaccordance with various embodiments

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a typical configuration of a singlesensor stack at an architectural level of independent modules, inaccordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a typical configuration of two sensorstacks connected by a cable that can allow them to share a commondata/power bus, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a typical configuration of a modulethat can be utilized as an accessory sensor, in accordance with variousembodiments.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example internal structure and components of thetemperature, pressure, and humidity sensing module, in accordance withvarious embodiments.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example internal structure and components of aceilometer module for cloud height and precipitation measurement module,in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example internal structure and components of asatellite connectivity module, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example internal structure and components of awind measurement module, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 14 illustrates an example computing module that may be used inimplementing various features of various embodiments of the disclosedtechnology.

The figures are not exhaustive and do not limit the present disclosureto the precise form disclosed. It should be understood that thedisclosed technology can be practiced with modification and alteration,and that the disclosed technology be limited only by the claims and theequivalents, thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the disclosed technology may be configured to achieve amodular system with rotate-to-lock interconnections that can be bothmechanically strong and able to carry a common power/data bus withoutcables and connectors. The presently disclosed technology may alsosupport extension of the power/data bus via external cable whereexternal separation of sensor module elements is desired. Additionally,embodiments may be configured to provide a weather sensor package thatis modular at both the mechanical and electrical level and can furtherbe configured to achieve self-contained, fully packaged and protectedmodules. The detailed description that follows begins with a sampleconfiguration of a fully assembled and configured sensor stack that canconsist of multiple sensor elements, followed by an illustration of theseparation of each individual module. The description continues with ahigh-level view of the system architecture viewed as three module types(base-modules, mid-modules, and cap-modules) that may be designed to becombined in prescribed ways to achieve a multitude of permutations. Thisarchitecture then is fully illustrated in sample configurations followedby a detailed discussion of the mechanical architecture and componentsof selected example modules.

The disclosed system in various embodiments can be designed specificallyto be highly modular to address multiple use cases in a wide range ofpossible applications and environments but without disparate elementsbeing mounted in physically separated locations unless otherwise desiredby the application. Because of its modularity, there is no single formfor the disclosed technology but rather a range of similar but distinctconfigurations that may be created by various combinations of modules.The common form factor for all modules can be approximately 5-inchdiameter cylindrical form factor with variations on that substantiallycylindrical shape as needed for extended arms for some particularmodules that. While a larger or smaller diameter might be feasible, the5-inch diameter was found to be better in terms of compactness andadequate room for key sensor elements including high accuracy barometricsensors, and the lidar core for the ceilometer. Earlier designs werefully realized in 6-inch and 4.75-inch diameter form factors beforesettling on the 5-inch optimum diameter.

FIG. 1 illustrates a sample configuration of a weather sensing system asdeployed with modules present for main processing, temperature,pressure, and humidity measurement, satellite communication, windmeasurement, cloud height measurement, and precipitation measurement, inaccordance with various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 1 , variousembodiments of the system, 100, may include a base module, 101, whichcan be the central processing unit for the stack of modules. Connectedto the top of the base-module may be a temperature, barometric pressure,and humidity module, 102. Above the temperature, pressure, and humiditymodule can be a satellite connectivity module, 103, with an integralantenna arm, 104, that can include a satellite connectivity antenna,105. Above the satellite connectivity module may be a wind speed anddirection sensing module, 106, that can measure the speed and directionof wind through its wind sensing gap, 107. On the top of the system 100may be a ceilometer module, 108, that can measure cloud height whilealso measuring the amount of precipitation that is cleared from itsupper surface.

The novel ability to both measure cloud height and precipitation fromwithin the same 5-inch diameter top surface may be achieved by placingan optical window for the transmit laser, 109, and an optical window forreceiving the laser reflection, 110, within a recessed, sloped surface,111, surrounded by vertical walls, 112, that encircle the diameter ofthe module. Rainfall that lands within that diameter may be captured foraccurate measurement. A wiper mechanism, 113, can clear the windows ofwater and debris by pushing them to the low point of the surface withinthe diameter walls. Water can be filtered through a fine screen and maybe measured by passing through a droplet former and droplet counterbefore being expelled from an opening in the side of the unit, 114. Anexample of a suitable droplet former and droplet counter is described inco-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 15/694,750, hereby incorporated byreference. Debris unable to pass through the filter can be expelledthrough a gap, 115, in the side of the housing above the level of thescreen. To maintain the shape of the wiper and to minimize accumulationof debris on the wiper itself, the wiper can rest above a groove in therecessed surface, 116, between wiping cycles.

This system described above is not comprehensive of all potential systemcomponents but illustrates a practical example configuration that issuitable for many weather sensing applications. This system as shownwould be able to measure temperature, barometric pressure, humidity,wind speed, wind direction, cloud height, and precipitation amount andwould be able to transmit those readings via satellite under control ofthe main processor. For other applications, additional modules could beadded by the system operator in order to impart additional capabilitiesto the system. Specifically, each of the modules in the system may beindependent units that can be removed, reordered, swapped, and added inthe field.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the modular nature of a weather sensingsystem by showing a view of a sample configuration of modules from acoupled perspective and from an uncoupled perspective, in accordancewith various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 2 , a view, 200, shows afirst perspective of an assembled stack of modules locked together in acommon stack on the left and the same modules as separate items shownseparately in an exploded perspective on the right, demonstrating themechanical independence of each module. The base module and centralprocessor, 201, temperature, pressure, and humidity module, 202,satellite connectivity module, 203, wind module, 204, and ceilometer andprecipitation amount module, 205, when physically connected can functionas a single unit. However, each can be acquired separately and thencombined in the field as desired, without the need for tools.Specifically, the base module and central processor, 206, temperature,pressure, and humidity module, 207, satellite connectivity module, 208,wind module, 209, and ceilometer and precipitation amount module, 210,may be fully-packaged units. And by each unit being fully packaged,there are no tools necessary for assembling the modules together.Possibly only a simple pressing and rotating of the modules together maybe required for the twist-to-lock seal and electrical connection toform. This ease of removing, swapping, or adding fully-packaged modulesis also ideal for periodic recalibration or maintenance of criticalsensor modules.

An enabling technology of this modular capability that underpins themodular connection between elements may include novel ring elements thatcan be designed in various embodiments to specifically to interlock witheach other. This technology allows the top of one module, to connect tothe bottom of another module while carrying all electrical, mechanical,and environmental connections. Specifically, the electrical signalscarried between the interlocking rings can include both power and datasignals and are carried on a shared power/data bus that may be carriedvertically along the stack of modules and conceivably extended through aconnector on the bottom of the base module with internal processor. Therotate-to-lock mechanical connection may be made by pressing the modulestogether axially and the rotating clockwise. The mechanical locking mayoccur primarily near the perimeter of the locking rings in order totransfer mechanical stiffness and strength across the link. Theenvironmental connection may utilize a seal that is air-tight ordust-tight depending on selected gasket to carry the environmental sealbetween modules.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example interlocking ring system that enables themodularity of the overall system, connection of the shared power/databus by quadruple-redundant spring pins, and mechanical interconnectionusing a twist-to-lock motion, in accordance with various embodiments.Referring to FIG. 3 , a detailed view of the interlocking ringmechanism, 300, shows both the bottom side view of the bottom ringelement and the top side view of the top ring element. These two ringmechanisms form the basis for the modular system and may be repeated inall members of the family of modules such that the top ring element canbe designed to connect with the bottom ring element, carrying electricalpower and data, mechanical strength, and an environmental seal. Allthree may be achieved in the simple twist-to-lock action. Though able towork in isolation, these elements can be intended to be incorporated assub-assemblies into modules. Specifically, in some embodiments the topring element can be designed to be the top-most component in a module,and the bottom ring element can be designed to be the bottom-mostcomponent in a module.

Features of the bottom ring element may include a smooth bottom surface,301, suitable for forming an air-tight seal with and O-ring to protectelectrical connections from the environment. A lip around the perimeter,302, of the bottom side ring element can be designed in some embodimentsto lap over a top side ring element that might be connected below it tofurther protect the seal from rain and other environmental effects.Three sets of eight-pin spring contacts, 303, carry five signals thatcomprise the power/data bus that can be shared by all modules in a stackof modules. The five signals may be ground, power, heater power, datatransmit, and data receive. The ground signal can be 8-fold redundantwith eight spring contacts dedicated to that signal. All the other foursignals may have quadruple redundancy with four spring contactsdedicated to each signal. Redundancy is utilized for increasedreliability of the connections. A set of four hooks, 304, and fourslots, 305, may achieve the mechanical interlock when the pieces arepressed together and rotated. A raised bump on each of the four arms canmeet a corresponding detent in the arms of the other piece to click thepieces together. A raised bar, 306, acts as a keying feature that canallow the bottom and top ring sections to only fit together in one way.A pattern of four screws, 307, may be utilized for permanent attachmentof the piece to whatever piece is above it to form a module.

Features of the top ring element may include a smooth channel, 308, forholding an O-ring and forming an air-tight seal to protect electricalconnections from the environment. The perimeter, 309, is slightlyrecessed to fit under the lip of a bottom ring element that may lap overit. Three sets of electrical contact pads, 310, receive the pin springcontacts from a bottom ring element that may mate with it. The contactpads carry the same five signals as previously described to comprise thepower/data bus that can be shared by all modules in a stack of modules,and with the same level of redundancy. A set of four hooks, 311, andfour slots, 312, mirror the slots and hooks of the mating bottom elementto potentially achieve a mechanical interlock when the pieces arepressed together and rotated. An additional slot, 313, may act as akeying feature by receiving the raised bar from the bottom module. Apattern of four screws, 314, may be utilized for permanent attachment ofthe piece to whatever piece is below it to form a module.

FIG. 4 illustrates an internal structure and components of an exampleinterlocking ring system as two exploded views, in accordance withvarious embodiments. Referring to FIG. 4 , an exploded view of thebottom and top ring sub-assemblies, 400, reveals further detail. Thebottom ring assembly, which can be placed at the bottom of a module forthe purpose of connecting to the top of any module below it, consistsfirst the bottom ring, 401. The bottom ring is the solid section thatmay include four hooks and recesses, 402, that achieves mechanicalinterconnection with whatever module is connected below it. Above thebottom ring can be the circular printed circuit board, 403, that may besandwiched between the bottom ring below, and a cylindrical sectionabove, 404, using screws around the perimeter, 405. Around the perimeterof the circular printed circuit board can be a custom elastomericC-cross-sectional gasket, 406. When the printed circuit board and gasketis sandwiched between the hard components above and below it, theelastomeric gasket can be compressed into a circular gap, 407, in thehard components above and below to form an air tight barrier at theprinted circuit board. A key feature of the printed circuit board thatmaintains the air tight seal may be that there are no holes in the boardwhich are not fully filled and closed. Mounted to the circular board maybe the three sets of eight spring-loaded pins, 408, that form thequadruple-redundant electrical interconnect between modules includingboth power and data.

The exploded view of the top ring sub-assembly may consist first of thetop ring, 409. The top ring can be the solid section that includes fourhooks and recesses, 410, that achieves mechanical interconnection withdesignated module connected above it. Below the top ring can be thecircular printed circuit board, 411, that may be sandwiched between thetop ring above, and a cylindrical section below, 412. Around theperimeter of the circular printed circuit board can be a customelastomeric C-cross-sectional gasket, 413. When the printed circuitboard and gasket is sandwiched between the hard components above andbelow it, the elastomeric gasket can be compressed into a circular gap,414, in the hard components above and below to form an air tight barrierat the printed circuit board. A key feature of the printed circuit boardthat maintains the air tight seal may be that there are no holes in theboard which are not fully filled and closed. Mounted to the circularboard can be a raised slide surface, 415, including flat electricalcontacts against which the spring-loaded pins on the bottom of anadjoining module will press. The compression of the spring-loaded pinsat the bottom of one module against the flat electrical contacts on thetop of an adjoining module can carry the power/data bus from module tomodule.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example way the rings can interlock using acombination of axial compressive force and rotation, in accordance withvarious embodiments. Referring to FIG. 5 , these two sub-assemblies, thebottom ring sub-assembly and the top ring sub-assembly form themechanical grammar around which all modules may be built and are theunderpinnings for the entire modular interlocking system, 500. For allmodules in the system, the bottom ring element, 501, in the moduleabove, 502, can be connected to the top ring element, 503, of the modulebelow, 504. This connection can be achieved by applying pressureaxially, 505, to press the two modules together. Once pressed togetherto the extent that the sets of tabs on each ring sub-assembly begin tooverlap, the pieces can then be rotated clockwise together. Rotation,506, continues until the hooks fully overlap and cannot be rotatedfurther. At that point, a small raised bump on the underside of thehooks in the top ring assembly can click into small detents on theunderside of the hooks in the bottom ring assembly. This clicking actioncan provide tactile feedback to the user that the two modules beingconnected are fully engages and may prevent unintentional disconnectionwithout sufficient force to overcome the bump and detent. A raised ribin the bottom ring, 507, fits into a recess in the top ring, 508, to actas a keying feature to ensure that the modules only connect one way.

FIG. 6 illustrates three example categories of modules: base-modules,mid-modules, and cap-modules. These sets of modules can comprise thetop-level system components and the governing rules for their use, inaccordance with various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 6 , moving to anarchitectural view, 600, illustrates the system that theelectro-mechanical interlock system may create. At an architecturallevel, modules in the system can be divided into three categories.Base-modules, 601, may be modules which have a top ring section on theirtop in order to enable stacking of modules above and a mechanicalinterface at the bottom suitable for a tripod, pole, or other elevatedstructure. Base modules can serve as the base for any stack of modules,and any stack of modules must have one and only one, 602, base-module.

Mid-modules, 603, may be modules which can have a top ring section ontheir top to enable stacking of modules above, and which can have abottom ring section on their bottom to enable stacking on top of othermodules. Mid-modules can be added or removed as needed to form any stackof modules, and any stack of modules can have any number of modules,604, as needed.

Finally, cap-modules, 605, may be modules which can have a bottom ringsection at their bottom and can have a weather resistant upper surfacewhich can remain exposed to the environment. Cap-modules can serve asthe top cap for any stack of any stack of modules, and any stack ofmodules must have one and only one, 606, cap-module. There is no limitto the theoretical number and breadth of each of the three module types,but current and common elements of the disclosed technology aredescribed in the following paragraphs.

Within the family of disclosed base-modules, 601, there are threeexample forms. The base plate with external power and data, 607, can bea simple plate which connects to modules above while bringing in powerand bi-directional data connectivity via cable. The base plate mayinclude no source of its own power, and has no capacity to capture,processor, or store data. The base plate base-module may be most usefulfor two main applications. The first of these applications can beconnecting a stack of modules directly to a computer. The second ofthese applications can be connecting a stack of modules via cable to abase module with an internal processor and external power. The basemodule with processor and external power, 608, may be a centralprocessor which connects to modules above while bringing in powerexternally, but which can process data internally and does not requirean external data connection, but may include one for external deliveryof processed data if desired. The base module with processor andexternal power may include another external connection to the commonpower/data bus in order to connect to modules external to its own stackbut mounted on a stack started from a simple base plate.

The third disclosed example of a type of base module can be a basemodule with internal processor and internal power, 609, to supportbuilding a small stack of modules above it. Because the integrated powerand battery system of the base module with internal processor andinternal power may be more limited, the number of modules above it ismay be limited by the total amount of power that can be generated by thebase module and the total power consumption of the modules above it.Though subject to the limitations of its own internal power, the basemodule with internal processor and internal power is ideal for compactand fully self-contained module stacks.

Within the family of disclosed mid-modules, 603, there can be manydifferent forms. For example, the temperature, barometric pressure, andhumidity sensor, 610, may be a common sensor that would be utilized inmany configurations of sensor stacks, providing base-level accuracy ontemperature, barometric pressure, and humidity. For applications thatrequire higher accuracy and triple-redundancy, there may be a morespecialized high-accuracy pressure module, 611, that can include threehigh accuracy pressure sensors suitable for aviation-grade barometricpressure measurement. While there may be some functional overlap betweenthese two sensor types in that both contain pressure measurementsensors, the modularity of the overall system allows for the appropriatesensor to be chosen between the two depending on relative importance ofaccuracy, size, and cost. Also, within the family of mid-modules can bea wind speed and direction sensing module, 612, and a lightning distanceand direction sensing module, 613. An imaging module, 614, can also beadded, with a panoramic imaging array used to capture images of thesurrounding environment. The atmospheric visibility sensor module, 615,may have a distinct mechanical structure because of an arm that extendsfrom the cylindrical portion of the sensor in order to better sampleatmospheric parameters. Another module with a protruding arm can be thesatellite connectivity module, 616, that uses the arm to provide bettervisibility to the sky. A third module with a distinct physicalappearance can be the bracing ring module, 617, that carries thepower/data bus between modules above and below it, but which serves onlya mechanical purpose. Installation of a bracing ring may provide aplurality of mount points for connection of bracing wires to stabilizethe sensor in high winds on a tripod, pole, or other structure. Inaddition to these examples of mid-modules, using the modular approachand consistently applying the top ring and bottom ring elements tocreate interlocking components enables creation of other module, 618, toachieve specific sensing, communications, data handling, or mechanicalfunctions.

Within the family of disclosed cap-modules, 605, there are threedisclosed example forms. The blank top cap, 619 can be the simplest formand achieves the minimum requirement of any cap-module of sealing thetop electro-mechanical interconnect to prevent exposure of thepower/data bus to the outside environment. The blank top cap may notperform any measurement or other function other can serving as a topseal. The precipitation volume sensor, 620, may serve the requirement ofa cap-module by sealing the top electro-mechanical interconnect toprevent exposure of the power/data bus to the outside environment, butalso utilizes its novel position at the top of the stack to performuseful environmental measurement. Specifically, it can utilize the fulldiameter of the stack as a rain collector and measures the precipitationthat drains from it through a droplet counter in order to assess preciseprecipitation rate and total precipitation accumulation over time.Precipitation from the funnel drains out of the side of the modulebecause the bottom of the module can form an air-tight seal with themodule below it to protect the power/data bus.

The 3rd disclosed example cap-module may be the ceilometer withprecipitation volume sensor, 621, which serves the requirement of acap-module by sealing the top electro-mechanical interconnect to preventexposure of the power/data bus to the outside environment, but alsoutilizes its novel position at the top of the stack to perform twocritical environmental measurements. Specifically, it can utilize thefull diameter of the stack as a rain collector and embeds opticalwindows in the bottom of the funnel in order to enable measurement ofthe height of clouds. It can utilize a wiper mechanism to clear theoptical window while also measuring the volume of precipitation thatflows off of the windows and the total bottom surface of the raincollecting surface.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a typical configuration of a singlesensor stack at an architectural level of independent modules, inaccordance with various embodiments. The variation among base-modules,mid-modules, and cap-modules creates a multitude of possiblepermutations of sensor configurations that can be created. Referring toFIG. 7 , a typical example, 700, of a single stack with a large numberof included sensors could utilize the base module with an internalprocessor and external power connector, 701. This base module could bemounted directly on a pole, 702, or other mounting structure. On top ofthe base module, the visibility sensor module, 703, with its externalsensing arm, 704, provide measurement of atmospheric visibility. Abovethe visibility sensor module can be the temperature, barometricpressure, and humidity sensor module, 705, followed by the satelliteconnectivity module, 706, with its external antenna arm, 707, andsatellite antenna. Next above on the stack can be the high-accuracypressure module, 708, that provides an upgraded pressure measurementwith triple redundancy, suitable for aviation use. Above this sensor maybe sensors for lightning distance and direction, 709, and wind speed anddirection, 710. Finally, the cap-module can be a ceilometer, 711, withintegrated precipitation volume measurement of rainfall collected fromthe top surface, 712. While this configuration does not utilize allavailable module types, it nonetheless represents a very complete systemsuitable for demanding weather measurement applications.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a typical configuration of two sensorstacks connected by a cable that can allow them to share a commondata/power bus, in accordance with various embodiments. Referring toFIG. 8 , another example, 800, shows how the system can satisfymeasurement requirements for sensors that are located at differentheights. A common requirement for many weather sensors is to sense moreatmospheric parameters at a height above the ground of approximately 6feet but to sense wind at approximately 30 feet where the wind is lessaffected by group topography and vegetation. A configuration to meetsuch a 30 foot wind sensing height requirement, can start with abase-module with internal power and external processor, 801, mounted ata height of approximately 6 feet on a pole, 802. On top of this basemodule can be an atmospheric visibility sensor, 803, satelliteconnectivity module, 804, and a temperature, pressure, and humiditysensor, 805. Above these modules can be a lightning distance anddirection module, 806, and on the top of this stack may be theceilometer with integrated precipitation volume measurement, 807.Connected to the base module of this stack via a cable, 808, can be asecond base module that may be mounted on a 30-foot tall pole, 809, inorder to measure winds at 30 feet as specifically desired for aviationmeasurements. The second base module, 810, may be a simple base platewith no processor that extends the common power/data bus from the firstbase module and its internal processor. On top of the second base modulemay be a wind speed and direction sensing module, 811, and a simple topcap-module, 812, that serves as the top weather seal. This example showsonly one simple base plate, 810, connected to the base module with aninternal processor, 801, but there is no limit to the number of baseplates that can be simultaneously connected to the shared power/data busvia cables and tee joints that branch from this bus.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a typical configuration of a modulethat can be utilized as an accessory sensor, in accordance with oneembodiment. Referring to FIG. 9 , a third example, 900, shows a sampleconfiguration to illustrate how any mid-module or cap-module within thefamily of sensors can become a self-contained, stand-alone, accessorysensor. This example utilizes a base-module, 901, that can have aninternal processor for data collection and may have its own internalpower supply utilizing integrated, external solar cells, 902, andinternal batteries. The top of this self-contained based module can be atop ring assembly that may accept any mid-module or cap-module. In thisexample, the module attached may be a ceilometer, 903, with integratedprecipitation volume measurement of rainfall collected from the topsurface, 904. This configuration acts as a fully self-containedceilometer with integrated power source. This stand-alone sensor canthen be attached via its external data port, 905, and a cable, 906 toanother data logger or weather sensor system. Although this exampleillustrates creation of a stand-alone ceilometer sensor, it is equallyapplicable for formation of a stand-alone visibility sensor,high-accuracy pressure sensor, or any other sensor within the modularfamily.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example internal structure and components of thetemperature, pressure, and humidity sensing module, in accordance withone embodiment. Referring to FIG. 10 , following this high-levelarchitectural examination of the modular system, an exploded view of thetemperature, pressure, and humidity sensor, 1000, provides a deeper lookat the internal structure and components. The structure of this modulebegins at the bottom with the standard bottom ring element, 1001, thatcan allow the module to mate to another module below it. Above thebottom ring may be a circular printed circuit board, 1002, with a“C”-shaped rubber gasket around its perimeter, 1003. When the printedcircuit board with perimeter gasket is sandwiched between the bottomring and the circular piece above it, a seal can be formed below theprinted circuit board which protects the spring-loaded electricalcontacts on the printed circuit board that can be designed in someembodiments to connect to another module below it. Above the circularprinted circuit board may be the lower compartment section, 1004, whichseals above the circular board and contains an access hatch, 1005, thatallows sealing of connectors while also allowing passage of wires out ofthe hatch. Sealing can be achieved using either high-viscosity sealantand/or a compressible foam or rubber.

Above the lower compartment seal can be the open-air portion of themodule which allows the sensors in that portion to have direct access tothe ambient atmosphere. The open-air portion of the module may consistof angled, conical slats, 1006, and four pillars, 1007, that allow airto travel freely through the system while still shading the innerportion of the sensing volume. For conditions of extremely stagnant air,a central circulation fan, 1008, forces cool air in from under the lowerslats and outward over the slats. On the top of the slats can be acylindrical piece, 1009, that completes the open-air portion and beginsthe sealed upper section by holding a second circular printed circuitboard, 1010. Above the circular printed circuit can be a top ring piecethat compresses the gasket, 1011, to complete the seal.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example internal structure and components of aceilometer module for cloud height and precipitation measurement module,in accordance with one embodiment. Referring to FIG. 11 , the secondmechanical illustration of sensor module internal structure andcomponents is of the ceilometer module with integrated precipitationsensing, 1100. This structure of this module begins at the bottom with abottom ring element, 1101, that can allow the module to mate to anothermodule below it. Above the bottom ring can be a circular printed circuitboard, 1102, with a “C”-shaped rubber gasket around its perimeter, 1103.When the printed circuit board with perimeter gasket is sandwichedbetween the bottom ring and the circular piece above it, a seal may beformed.

Above the circular printed circuit board can be the lower compartmentsection, 1104, that may include supports for the low-profile metalframe, 1106, that supports the weight of the custom lidar unit, 1110,above it. The electro-optical functions of the lidar may be achieved ona single printed circuit board, 1107, that fits within the diameter ofthe module and includes a large bank of capacitors, 1108, that supplythe large surge current of more than 100 amperes to fire the high-powerpulsed laser, 1109. Co-aligned with the high-power transmit laser can bea receiver lens, 1111, to focus the light to an internal avalanchephoto-diode that can be biased using a novel approach that maintains theoutput of the avalanche photodiode and amplifier chain at a constantnoise level regardless of temperature. Above the receiver lens may beoptical filters, 1112, that block direct ambient sunlight, andsurrounding the lens is a baffle to block off-axis ambient sunlight.Together, these elements are able to consistently measure the height tocloud bases up to a height of 30,000 ft above ground level which matchesor exceed the capabilities of existing commercial ceilometers but withan order-of-magnitude reduction in weight and two orders-of-magnitudereduction in size.

Protecting the lidar can be the outer enclosure, 1113, that seals to anO-ring, 1114, around the cylindrical piece on top of the bottom ring toprotect the internal lidar from the outside environment. The top surfaceof the enclosure, 1115, can be sloped to encourage precipitation anddebris to slide off of the embedded transmit window, 1116, and receiverwindow, 1117. To further ensure that the windows are clear ofprecipitation and debris, a wiper mechanism, 1118, drags a rubber wiperblade over the windows to force water and debris down the slope of theglass similar to an automotive windshield wiper. At the bottom of thesloped upper surface, a screen allows water to pass, while solid debriscan be forced out of an opening above the screen, 1119, and out of theside of the unit. While the use of a rubber wiper to clear water fromglass is known within the art, no system uses that cleared water as aprecise measure of precipitation amount. All other weather sensorsystems keep the clearing of precipitation from the optical ceilometerand collection of rain for measurement of precipitation as separatefunctions performed by separate pieces of equipment mounted at separatelocations. In order to achieve both these functions within a shared topsurface, significant iterations and experimentation were utilized toarrive at the structure described above. Unlike existing ceilometers,the upper surfaces of the configuration as described, can deliberatelycollect rain water within the side walls around the upper surface, 1120,resulting in a defined area of collection. Liquid water that can becollected within this defined diameter flows by gravity down the slopedsurface or is driven by the wiper and separated from debris. Theremaining water that flows through the screen at the bottom of thesloped surface may be passed through a droplet former that forms thewater into consistently sized drops governed by the surface tension ofwater. Those drops are then counted to measure the precise amount ofrainfall before being expelled from the gap in the housing below thesloped surface, 1121. Because the ceilometer can be in the family ofcap-modules, it does not allow any module to be connected above it andtherefore does not have a top ring.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example internal structure and components of asatellite connectivity module, in accordance with one embodiment.Referring to FIG. 12 , the third mechanical illustration of sensormodule internal structure and components is of the satelliteconnectivity module, 1200, that illustrates how the modular approachdescribed herein can support external arms when needed by specificsensors or capabilities. In this example, the external arm can bedesired to provide the satellite antenna adequate visibility to the skyfor transmission and reception of radio signals. The satelliteconnectivity module begins with a bottom ring, 1201, to enable themodule to mate with any other module below it. Above the bottom ring canbe a circular printed circuit board, 1202, surrounded by a C-ring sealat its perimeter, 1203, that may be compressed between the bottom ringand the lower arm section, 1204, to form a seal. Mounted on the lowerarm section can be the satellite communications electronics board, 1205,that connects electrically directly to the lower circular printedcircuit board and holds the satellite antenna, 1206. Covering thesatellite communications board can be the upper arm section, 1207. Thelower and upper arm section are chemically bonded together with adhesiveupon assembly to maintain an air tight seal. Above the bonded armsections can be another circular printed circuit board, 1208, with aC-ring, 1209, that forms a seal when compressed by a top ring section,1210. As is the case for any other mid-module, a raised contact plate,1211, can be mounted above the upper circular printed circuit board toact as an electrical mating surface for any other modules that might beadded above it.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example internal structure and components of awind measurement module, in accordance with one embodiment. Referring toFIG. 13 , the fourth mechanical illustration of sensor module internalstructure and components is of the wind measurement module, 1300, thatillustrates how the modular approach described herein can support a veryopen section to allow air to move freely through it and around it whilestill allowing a path for all electrical connections for the power/databus to run from the bottom of the module to the top. The windmeasurement module begins with a bottom ring, 1301, to enable the moduleto mate with any other module below it. Above the bottom ring can be acircular printed circuit board, 1302, surrounded by a C-ring seal at itsperimeter, 1303, that may be compressed between the bottom ring and thelower wind section, 1304, to form a seal. The lower wind section mayhold four ultrasonic transducers, 1305, that measure wind speed anddirection by using a traditional 4-transducer arrangement to determinetwo orthogonal vectors of two-dimensional wind within the horizontalplane. Novel to this embodiment are four narrow, hollow, vertical posts,1306, mounted in a rigid plate, 1307, that can mechanically connect thebottom and top portions of the wind module while allowing the passage ofsignals for the power/data bus between the two portions. The passage ofsignals can be achieved by connecting a ribbon cable to a ribbon cableconnector, 1308, on the lower circular printed circuit board, splittingthe cable so that four smaller bundles can be fed through the fourhollow posts, then under the upper wind section, 1309, and finallysoldered to the upper circular printed circuit board, 1310. Like allother circular printed circuit boards described herein, it can besurrounded by a custom C-ring around its perimeter, 1311, to form a sealwhen sandwiched under the top ring, 1312. As is the case for any othermid-module, a raised contact plate, 1313, can be mounted above the uppercircular printed circuit board to act as an electrical mating surfacefor any other modules that might be added above it.

While only four specific modules were detailed in exploded views, theseillustrations detail the electrical and mechanical grammar around whichthe full expression of the many various modules in the system can bebuilt. For any other module currently designed or to be designed in thefuture around this system, the same mechanical and electrical elementscan be used in the same fashion to achieve a versatile and modularsystem suitable for quickly removable and field replaceable moduleswhich are fully packaged as delivered and completely robust againstharsh outdoor environments when mated. The interlocking system cantherefore achieve what a modular system should, enabling for the firsttime for weather sensor systems to be built from modular blocks thatlink together directly, regardless of their specific technology orfunction.

The embodiments described herein are examples that show typical usewhile also showing the potential breadth possible. As noted in thedisclosure, the technology can be modular in its architecture and in itsconstruction and will by normal use form alternate embodiments aspermutations and combinations of the aforementioned modules. Theenclosure, mounting plate, and other mechanical components can beproduced in various materials including metals and plastics and byvarious manufacturing techniques including casting, molding, 3Dprinting, stamping, and bending. While a shared power/data bus isdescribed, other electrical variations may also be used. The disclosureherein is not intended to be exhaustive as to all permutations andcombination of modules that can be formed. It is intended to beillustrative of the dimensions of modularity enabled by the disclosedarchitecture but not limiting of scope.

As used herein, the term set may refer to any collection of elements,whether finite or infinite. The term subset may refer to any collectionof elements, wherein the elements are taken from a parent set; a subsetmay be the entire parent set. The term proper subset refers to a subsetcontaining fewer elements than the parent set. The term sequence mayrefer to an ordered set or subset. The terms less than, less than orequal to, greater than, and greater than or equal to, may be used hereinto describe the relations between various objects or members of orderedsets or sequences; these terms will be understood to refer to anyappropriate ordering relation applicable to the objects being ordered.

The terms “substantially” and “approximately” used throughout thisdisclosure, including the claims, are used to describe and account forsmall fluctuations, such as due to variations in processing. Forexample, they can refer to less than or equal to ±5%, such as less thanor equal to ±2%, such as less than or equal to ±1%, such as less than orequal to ±0.5%, such as less than or equal to ±0.2%, such as less thanor equal to ±0.1%, such as less than or equal to ±0.05%.

Where components or modules of the technology are implemented in wholeor in part using software, in one embodiment, these software elementscan be implemented to operate with a computing or processing modulecapable of carrying out the functionality described with respectthereto. One such example computing module is shown in FIG. 14 . FIG. 14illustrates an example computing module that may be used in implementingvarious features of various embodiments of the disclosed technology.Several embodiments are described in terms of this example-computingmodule 1400. After reading this description, it will become apparent toa person skilled in the relevant art how to implement the technologyusing other computing modules or architectures.

Referring now to FIG. 14 , computing system 1400 may represent, forexample, computing or processing capabilities found within desktop,laptop and notebook computers; hand-held computing devices (PDA's, smartphones, cell phones, palmtops, etc.); mainframes, supercomputers,workstations or servers; or any other type of special-purpose orgeneral-purpose computing devices as may be desirable or appropriate fora given application or environment. Computing system 1400 might alsorepresent computing capabilities embedded within or otherwise availableto a given device. For example, a computing module might be found inother electronic devices such as, for example, digital cameras,navigation systems, cellular telephones, portable computing devices,modems, routers, wireless access points (WAPs), terminals and otherelectronic devices that might include some form of processingcapability.

Computing system 1400 might include, for example, one or moreprocessors, controllers, control modules, or other processing devices,such as a processor 1404. Processor 1404 might be implemented using ageneral-purpose or special-purpose processing engine such as, forexample, a microprocessor, controller, or other control logic. In theillustrated example, processor 1404 is connected to a local bus 1402,although any communication medium can be used to facilitate interactionwith other components of computing system 1400 or to communicateexternally. Note that the local bus, 1402, is separate from, and notinterconnected with the shared power and data bus described above formodule-to-module interconnectivity.

Computing system 1400 might also include one or more memory modules,simply referred to herein as main memory 1408. For example, preferablyrandom access memory (RAM) or other dynamic memory, might be used forstoring information and instructions to be executed by processor 1404.Main memory 1408 might also be used for storing temporary variables orother intermediate information during execution of instructions to beexecuted by processor 1404. Computing system 1400 might likewise includea read only memory (“ROM”) or other static storage device coupled tolocal bus 1402 for storing static information and instructions forprocessor 1404.

The computing system 1400 might also include one or more various formsof information storage mechanism 1410, which might include, for example,a media drive 1412 and a storage unit interface 1420. The media drive1412 might include a drive or other mechanism to support fixed orremovable storage media 1414. For example, a hard disk drive, a floppydisk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, a CD or DVDdrive (R or RW), or other removable or fixed media drive might beprovided. Accordingly, storage media 1414 might include, for example, ahard disk, a floppy disk, magnetic tape, cartridge, optical disk, a CDor DVD, or other fixed or removable medium that is read by, written toor accessed by media drive 1412. As these examples illustrate, thestorage media 1414 can include a computer usable storage medium havingstored therein computer software or data.

In alternative embodiments, information storage mechanism 1410 mightinclude other similar instrumentalities for allowing computer programsor other instructions or data to be loaded into computing system 1400.Such instrumentalities might include, for example, a fixed or removablestorage unit 1422 and an interface 1420. Examples of such storage units1422 and interfaces 1420 can include a program cartridge and cartridgeinterface, a removable memory (for example, a flash memory or otherremovable memory module) and memory slot, a PCMCIA slot and card, andother fixed or removable storage units 1422 and interfaces 1420 thatallow software and data to be transferred from the storage unit 1422 tocomputing system 1400.

Computing system 1400 might also include a communications interface1426. Communications interface 1426 might be used to allow software anddata to be transferred between computing system 1400 and externaldevices. Examples of communications interface 1426 might include a modemor softmodem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet, networkinterface card, WiMedia, IEEE 802.XX or other interface), acommunications port (such as for example, a USB port, IR port, RS232port Bluetooth® interface, or other port), or other communicationsinterface. Software and data transferred via communications interface1426 might typically be carried on signals, which can be electronic,electromagnetic (which includes optical) or other signals capable ofbeing exchanged by a given communications interface 1426. These signalsmight be provided to communications interface 1426 via a channel 1428.This channel 1428 might carry signals and might be implemented using awired or wireless communication medium. Some examples of a channel mightinclude a phone line, a cellular link, an RF link, an optical link, anetwork interface, a local or wide area network, and other wired orwireless communications channels.

In this document, the terms “computer program medium” and “computerusable medium” are used to generally refer to media such as, forexample, memory 1408, storage unit 1420, media 1414, and channel 1428.These and other various forms of computer program media or computerusable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one ormore instructions to a processing device for execution. Suchinstructions embodied on the medium, are generally referred to as“computer program code” or a “computer program product” (which may begrouped in the form of computer programs or other groupings). Whenexecuted, such instructions might enable the computing system 1400 toperform features or functions of the disclosed technology as discussedherein.

While various embodiments of the disclosed technology have beendescribed above, it should be understood that they have been presentedby way of example only, and not of limitation. Likewise, the variousdiagrams may depict an example architectural or other configuration forthe disclosed technology, which is done to aid in understanding thefeatures and functionality that can be included in the disclosedtechnology. The disclosed technology is not restricted to theillustrated example architectures or configurations, but the desiredfeatures can be implemented using a variety of alternative architecturesand configurations. Indeed, it will be apparent to one of skill in theart how alternative functional, logical or physical partitioning andconfigurations can be implemented to implement the desired features ofthe technology disclosed herein. Also, a multitude of differentconstituent module names other than those depicted herein can be appliedto the various partitions. Additionally, with regard to flow diagrams,operational descriptions and method claims, the order in which the stepsare presented herein shall not mandate that various embodiments beimplemented to perform the recited functionality in the same orderunless the context dictates otherwise.

Although the disclosed technology is described above in terms of variousexemplary embodiments and implementations, it should be understood thatthe various features, aspects and functionality described in one or moreof the individual embodiments are not limited in their applicability tothe particular embodiment with which they are described, but instead canbe applied, alone or in various combinations, to one or more of theother embodiments of the disclosed technology, whether or not suchembodiments are described and whether or not such features are presentedas being a part of a described embodiment. Thus, the breadth and scopeof the technology disclosed herein should not be limited by any of theabove-described exemplary embodiments.

Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unlessotherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposedto limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” shouldbe read as meaning “including, without limitation” or the like; the term“example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item indiscussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; the terms “a” or“an” should be read as meaning “at least one,” “one or more” or thelike; and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “normal,”“standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construedas limiting the item described to a given time period or to an itemavailable as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompassconventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may beavailable or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, wherethis document refers to technologies that would be apparent or known toone of ordinary skill in the art, such technologies encompass thoseapparent or known to the skilled artisan now or at any time in thefuture.

The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “atleast,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instancesshall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or requiredin instances where such broadening phrases may be absent. The use of theterm “module” does not imply that the components or functionalitydescribed or claimed as part of the module are all configured in acommon package. Indeed, any or all of the various components of amodule, whether control logic or other components, can be combined in asingle package or separately maintained and can further be distributedin multiple groupings or packages or across multiple locations.

Additionally, the various embodiments set forth herein are described interms of exemplary block diagrams, flow charts and other illustrations.As will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art afterreading this document, the illustrated embodiments and their variousalternatives can be implemented without confinement to the illustratedexamples. For example, block diagrams and their accompanying descriptionshould not be construed as mandating a particular architecture orconfiguration.

What is claimed is:
 1. A weather sensor comprising: a ceilometer modulecomprising two optical windows embedded in a recessed and slopedsurface; a first optical window of the two optical windows configured totransmit a laser; a second optical window of the two optical windowsconfigured to receive a reflection of the laser; a vertical wallcircumscribes the recessed and sloped surface and the two opticalwindows; wherein the recessed and sloped surface within the verticalwall collects precipitation; and the ceilometer module measures cloudheight and precipitation volume concurrently based on the collectedprecipitation and the collected laser reflection.
 2. The weather sensorof claim 1, wherein the ceilometer module further comprises a dropletformer and a droplet counter connected to the recessed and slopedsurface, wherein the recessed and sloped surface guides the collectedprecipitation through the droplet former and the droplet counter tomeasure the precipitation volume.
 3. The weather sensor of claim 2,wherein the ceilometer module further comprises a wiper on the recessedand sloped surface directs the collected precipitation to the dropletcounter and thereafter an outlet in the lower portion of the verticalwalls of the ceilometer module.
 4. The weather sensor of claim 1,wherein the ceilometer module further comprises a lidar unit.
 5. Theweather sensor of claim 4, wherein the lidar unit comprises the lasergenerating light transmitted from the first optical window.
 6. Theweather sensor of claim 5, wherein the lidar unit further comprises acircuit board comprising a bank of capacitors supplying current to powerthe laser.
 7. The weather sensor of claim 6, wherein the lidar unitfurther comprises a receiver lens focusing reflected light from thelaser to an internal avalanche photo-diode measuring the cloud height.8. The weather sensor of claim 7, wherein the ceilometer module measuresthe cloud height using electro-optical functions associated with thelidar unit and the collected reflected light from the laser to measure aheight up to a cloud base above ground level.